Virginia Tech Edges Georgia Tech Softball, 1-0

THE FLATS – The Georgia Tech softball team (12-18, 1-6 ACC) fell 1-0 to Virginia Tech (13-14, 8-2) in the opening game of a three-game series Friday evening.

How It Happened The Jackets were poised to score in the opening frame. Pierannunzi drew a leadoff walk, and Kelsey Chisholm went to execute the sacrifice bunt, but a Hokie error allowed her to reach base.

Katie Krzus laid down a sacrifice bunt to move the runners up and with two outs Morgan Taylor drew a walk to load the bases. Colleen Darragh hard hit line drive was caught by the Hokie third baseman to end the threat.

Virginia Tech got on the board in the second inning thanks to a one-out single by Chelsea Whitcomb, who stole second and scored on an RBI single off the bat of Lauren Duff.

Emily Anderson (8-11) was pinned with the loss after throwing a complete game with just one run on three hits, no walks and four strikeouts. After the second inning, Anderson allowed just one hit in five scoreless innings.

Quote“I thought we came out and were disciplined at the plate, but aggressive as well, in the first inning,” head coach Shelly Hoerner said. “We lost our plate discipline. Tyler pitched a good game against us and kept us off balance the entire game. We have to make adjustments at the plate and play a better game tomorrow.

“I thought Emily pitched a great game. It was one of the best games I’ve seen her pitch since she’s been at Georgia Tech. I give her a lot of credit keeping their hitters off balance as well. I give her a lot of credit.”

Quick hits– The Jackets recorded a pair of sac bunts from Kelsey Chisholm and Katie Krzus; Georgia Tech leads the league in that category with 28 sacrifice hits. – Courtney Ziese tallied Georgia Tech’s lone hit in the fourth inning.

Up NextGeorgia Tech hosts Virginia Tech on Saturday in a doubleheader on ESPN3 for Georgia Tech’s annual StrikeOut Cancer games at 12 p.m.

In addition, the Jackets are honored to have Assistant Vice President and Chief of Staff in the Office of the President at Georgia Tech, Lynn Durham, throw out an honorary first pitch before the first game. Durham is a two-time cancer survivor and serves on an advisory board for the Georgia Center for Oncology Research and Education.

Between the games of the doubleheader we will have a spring egg hunt in the grass behind the first base dugout.

The Jackets will auction off their game-worn pink jerseys beginning March 26 at 12 p.m. through April 9 at 12 p.m. The beginning bid is $50 and bid increments are $10.